I joined Will and Chris on a slightly different route up Koholepelepe or Koko Crater Rim today.

Free admission

Instead of starting from the end of the rim, we were going to take a “shortcut” and go up from the spur ridge that was inside the crater.

Spur ridge

The spur ridge is quite noticeable once you look for it past the stripped tree tops. The waning moon was still visible as well.

Nature call

Not often that you find one of these on a hiking trail. Luckily we were in the middle of a botanical garden.

Equipment shed

We soon passed a equipment shed on our left, indicating that we were on the right trail. Thanks to Baron for the directions and idea.

Balls of cacti

If you see this, you have gone too far. Turn around.

Bushwhack time

The base of the ridge is just a stones throw from the equipment shed. Not really bushwhacking, but watch out for the sharp as steel cacti lurking in the tall grass. It hurts like a bee and then some.

Out of the bushes

Now we can see where we are going.

Time to go up

There was nothing tricky or technical with this ridge.

Still going up

Basic scrambling up a nicely inclined ridge.

Slab section

I took a shine to this spur ridge and will use this route when traversing the crater rim in the future.

Made it to the rim

Gusty winds greeted us at the top of the rim.

Watch your step

Dragon Fruit Cacti are in abundance on this section of the rim. Fruiting season occurs June to December.

Climbing up

Chris trying out his climbing skills. For those less inclined, the rim can be contoured on the left on fairly level ground. Photo by Will Lee.

Traffic jam

As we neared the summit, we met another group coming down. Who yields? The one that seizes the opportunity to pass the gap.

Photo bombed

The winds were making for a bad hair day.

Waiting our turn

Great town views at 1,208 feet high. Group photo left to right: Chris, myself, and Will.

Traffic jam

Going down the makai or ocean side of the rim, we ran into a couple that had come up from the arch. The crater rim seems to be getting a lot more traffic lately.

Elusive puka

Looking across the crater floor to see that puka or hole in the rim that I have yet to see up close.

Halona blowhole

The Halona Blowhole parking lot was surprisingly open, considering that this was the weekend.

Easy climbing

The last rock to climb on the rim. After this, it was all downhill.

Going down

We took the left trail down, which sits opposite the spur ridge that we had taken up.

Koko Crater Stables

I don’t think many people realize that there is a horse stable tucked away here.

Now you tell us

Looking back at the trail that we had just descended, we noticed this sign. Oops.

GPS Tracks

By most accounts, Koholepelepe means “traveling vagina” in Hawaiian. The route we had taken today, resembles something that visits said passage. Or is it just my imagination? I think I had too much sun today.